Phoenix Rising
by AnghellicHalo
Summary: The rise of Kai Hiwatari as a figure in the SnK world. Every ending has a beginning. My first fanfic, reviews and critique are always welcome :) Rated T for language, possible gore in the future and Kai being a downright badass.
1. Chapter 1: From the Ashes of the Wake

**From the Ashes of the Wake**

A reconnaissance mission was the last thing Corporal Levi had in mind. When the orders were given to go beyond the walls in search of a tribe of migrants headed from Russia, he never thought they would be worth the risk. Why bother wasting precious resources on a small rescue party when he knew the inevitable?

The Titans were unstoppable. There was no way a lowly tribe hiding in the woods, especially a time where Titan attacks were becoming more common, would be able to stop the incessant waves of monsters from taking their lives away from them. It dawned on Levi that such thoughts only eroded away what little humanity he had left in him. Perhaps he should try and look on the bright side. '_Hope for the best'_, as what Hanji would always say with that wide, toothy grin.

In the end however, it was the same story: a large number of the squad would be decimated and mission objectives would rarely be achieved. He thought it would be a better idea to make the trip alone, assuring Commander Erwin he would find things much more efficient with _no brats to constantly babysit. _Water started dripping from the gloomy clouds above into a rhythmic pitter-patter as he arrived to his destination. The lingering scent of uprooted trees and charcoal wafted into Levi's nostrils, as he clambered down from his horse and continued deeper into the forest.

"Shit…." was all that escaped out of his mouth as his eyes took in the scene before him. As he trudged deeper into the forest, he saw the crippled and limp bodies of the tribe that had inhabited the huts and makeshift tents that were once settled here. All that remained was the aftermath of a rampage. Dried blood stained the wood on the trees and the broken shelters that were torn apart and kicked like mere toys. Dismembered bodies lay littered on the fresh grass as the rain gently washed away the blood that was left on their bodies.

Levi knew there was nothing left to do. He was used to seeing rubble and carnage in his time served in the Survey Corps. What's done is done. They're all dead. There's nothing to pry back, and no one left to save. Shaking his head, he started to walk back to his stationed horse. He internally sighed. Is there anything that can push back the endless onslaught of such monsters?

Lightning flashed. He blinked to shield his eyes, and knew instinctively he was being watched…

An abnormal titan. 8 metre class. It was hurtling towards him at an insane speed. Levi instinctively pulled out his swords and mapped out a strategy within a few seconds. It was closing the distance rapidly. Sprinting, he looked up into the titan running towards him, and saw a flash of pain across its face.

Levi stopped immediately, confused. The titan went down with cracking _thud_, face first into the ground. He stared into the Titan's neck. This wasn't a clean kill; the nape was slashed diagonally with an uneven cut. _Who killed this titan…_

But what he saw next bewildered him. In front of him stood a 17 year old male with long, spiky grey-blue hair. The stranger glared at him with cold, calculating walls of greys, sizing up a new potential threat. His dark, tattered clothes exposed his deep cuts and scars all over his body. In his hands was a single bloody sword that bore the mark of his fresh kill. A simple white linen scarf covered his mouth and neck, and ran right down just above his waist.

Levi stared in disbelief, eyes widened. This stranger from outside the walls had just killed a titan using a simple sword and no 3DMG gear to boot. Regaining composure, Levi took a step forward, to which the stranger only raised his sword and tensed into a fighting stance.

"That was impressive. The way you killed that titan." He quickly admitted, hoping to defuse the situation. Levi hoped it would ease the tension between the two killers. He was curious about the boy; how was it that he accomplished a kill purely from acrobatic athleticism? It would take a normal Survey Corps soldier years of practice to take down a large abnormal, yet this kid had just plucked this one like a feather from a chicken, that too with no movement gear. Levi had been captivated by the blunette's seemingly natural ability.

The stranger stood motionless, sword still raised. The rain was still hammering down upon them and a crackle of thunder bellowed over the two males. The stranger, still wary of Levi's presence, simply lowered his sword and his scarf to reveal his whole face. He had pale white skin, covered by two cobalt triangles either side of his cheeks. His glare visibly softened but failed to put its guard down completely. Seeing no threat from the stranger, Levi offered his hand, speaking clearer and more confidently:

"The name's Levi. Levi Ackerman."

The stranger continued staring at Levi. Hesitantly, he grabbed his hand firmly and shook it.

"Kai. Kai Hiwatari".

Levi felt a twang of mystery and excitement as he felt a burning glow emanating from the blunette's body. Could this kid rival the skills of Humanity's Strongest?

Levi smirked slightly at the thought.


	2. Chapter 2: Metempsychosis

**Metempsychosis **

Memories never die out completely, and nightmares keep haunting Kai away from precious hours of sleep. How he longed to be rid of his infernal hallucinations; to simply lay his head down on his pillow and fall blissfully into a tranquil sleep. How he longed, to simply be free of the demons that chained him in his mind with a stubborn grip, and to just be left alone in his own protective shadows. And yet, Kai's demons were his fuel…_his adrenaline_. Cursed to never rest, and cursed to never find peace.

These nightmares never go away. The death of his parents at such a young age meant he couldn't hold a single memory to them. He often wondered if his mother had given him fierce, grey eyes; or if his father had been the one to bless him with his staunch physique. He had no one left, not even his grandfather, Voltaire, who wouldn't comfort the boy through pain and suffering, but instead had chosen to mould him into the monster he was today.

Kai woke up shivering from his own sweat, which had cooled from an intense draft that blew in. The voices gradually faded away and his heart pounded slower and slower as his conscious took in his surroundings. '_Damn, another nightmare…' _Kai cursed under his breath. The sun was starting to glance through and a faint shade of blue rose around its shape.

It was still too early to get ready and prepare for his first meeting with his new comrades, but he figured a sunrise and the company of nature would still his thoughts and nerves. Nature had always been the closest to a friend the boy had. The gentle swaying of grass and the scents of lavender and musky soil were his painkillers, and the sounds of magpies and robins fluttering their wings and chirping their beaks were synonymous with his sighs of relief. Even as a child, Kai had a certain fondness to animals, and would often be scolded by his grandfather for stealing milk to feed a family of stray cats. It would always be worth the punishment though, as the cats would purr affectionately and never ceased to follow him on his walks during his free time, hoping for more saucers of milk or gentle scratches or tummy rubs.

An hour or so passed as he lay on the fresh grass, completely soothed from his awakening. He heard a familiar set of footsteps get increasing louder:

"Didn't know you were a light sleeper," Levi murmured, as he took in the faint sunshine beginning to radiate over his face. Kai remained motionless, but still heard every word the Corporal spoke.

"Didn't know you liked to spy on younger recruits." Kai simply retorted, laying as still as ever.

"Real funny. Are you implying something, Hiwatari?"

"You can infer whatever the hell you want. I thought I had a right to privacy, Corporal."

"Tch. You're lucky I'm not that harsh with newbies." Levi simply stated emotionlessly. "I expect you on time for breakfast. It's time you got to know your team." Levi turned and started to walk away, but abruptly paused to glance back at the lying figure. "Oh and next time, spare the sass or I'll make sure your fingers bleed from scrubbing the floors."

And with that, Kai was once again left alone to bask in the company of the sun.

Xxx

Kai was still getting used to his uniform as he made his way to the mess hall. He thought such clothes were too restrictive, and winced slightly as his shirt hung a bit too snugly to his chest and arms, and he certainly didn't like the effort of strapping on such loud boots as they clicked on the wooden floors of the corridors. At least his white scarf still provided a little comfort, though the blue markings that adorned his face were temporarily missing.

Sighing to himself, he collected his tray of rations and silently moved to a table alone in the far corner. The room started to fill up with soldiers and the volume also started to rise. Kai wouldn't complain though, he was happy enough seeing a half-decent meal on the table. Food had always been scarce and especially through his brutal training he would always be forced to starve to adapt to extreme conditions should the need arise.

As he sipped his small cup of tea, a group of soldiers made their way down near his table. Of course, everyone noticed the new soldier but some just chose to ignore him. Kai was never one for a lot of talk, so naturally he silently thanked those who simply minded their own business. There was no escaping the attention of three friends though, who were dragged roughly by a boy with short brown hair and teal-green eyes, followed by a smaller male with longer blonde hair just about covering his eyes and a slightly taller oriental girl with similar sized sharp black hair with grey eyes, similar to his own.

The three stood in front of him, with the brunette eager to make an acquaintance. The other two however didn't seem quite as comfortable.

"Hi! We've never seen you before and we were wondering if you were new…would you like to eat with us?" the boy asked. The boy looked headstrong and didn't seem to register Kai's opinions on making friends. After a sharp elbow from the taller girl which made him scowl at her, he lost his words. The blonde boy continued on for him rather sheepishly:

"I'm sorry for his rudeness…he forgets his manners whenever he sees new people..." the boy was clearly nervous and almost…scared, of his new presence. "My name's Armin, and this is my friend Eren, and his half-sister Mikasa."

Kai's glare softened slightly at the kid's politeness. At least this guy wasn't an asshole.

"The name's Kai," remaining stoic as ever. "I'm not fond of company but I guess I'll have to get used to you guys sooner or later." he sighed, looking grimly at his tray of food. He motioned for the three to sit opposite him.

"That's a pretty weird name." Eren frowned. "Where are you from?"

"I could say the same for everyone here," he stated, sipping his tea. "And I'm from a place called Russia."

"Russia?" Armin spoke up, his interest piqued. "From the outside world? What's it like there? I've only heard stories about it!"

Kai wasn't too keen on talking about his native country, partly because of his memories still attached to Voltaire and how he simply didn't like remembering the country's collapse. Russia had still kept a few colonies alive, unbeknownst to the kingdom that resided in Germany, but had succumbed to famine over the recent years, forcing mass migration to more bountiful settlements. Kai was only one of a handful that had managed to survive his travels.

"It's cold as fuck."

The girl sitting beside the brunette flinched slightly at the blunt reply and moved her scarf over mouth.

"Russia suffered the same way the kingdom did. Titans."

At this, Eren and Armin nodded wordlessly. They didn't need to be reminded of their past experience.

After a short silence with the four of them eating their food, the oriental girl spoke up for the first time.

"Eren, you should finish your soup. You won't get anything else until lunch which is hours away. You need your energy."

"Mikasa, can't you let me eat in peace for once? It's bad enough you molly-coddle me every day but in front of a guy we just met? Come on!" the boy snapped.

"I'm just doing what's best for you-"

"I'm not a baby that needs to be fed!"

"But you still need to eat! I'm not letting you leave without you finishing your-"

"Mikasa, stop!"

"Eren, just eat your food or I'll force it down your throat!"

"I swear to God…Mikasa, I can take care of myself!"

"You won't have the energy if you-"

"I know what I'm doing! Why can't you understand that-"

Kai had had just about enough. If you thought some people didn't like dealing with other people's personal problems, Kai was something else.

"Enough." He viciously glared, digging his eyes at the two half siblings. The cold edge to his voice had instantly silenced them both. Armin was left wide-eyed at the new guy who had just ended the two's bickering with a single word, something he had never been able to do, nor had the guts to do. Kai closed his eyes and sighed. "Certain people don't like to hear other people's business. If you two want to argue then go into a fucking room or something." He then turned his attention to Mikasa. "If you didn't constantly hold his dick he might actually grow up at some point" he sneered. "But I guess you gotta breastfeed the little kid to satisfy your fucking needs, don't you?"

At this, Mikasa sharpened her own glare and stared him down. How dare a stranger say such things about her and her family? Eren had gone pale at Kai's words and Armin was shaking with fear, scared at seeing a confrontation.

"What did you just say?" Mikasa growled and stood up abruptly, her voice low and threatening to almost rip his balls off. At this, Kai stood up and folded his hands.

"Are you deaf too?" he chuckled quietly. "Why don't you give the kid his space? That way he won't turn out like a lil' baby."

Mikasa was seething. Her face was completely red. She thought about throwing the knife she held in her right hand into his back as he walked off, but was held back by Eren's hands.

"He's right you know…" he sighed, looking down at his food. He loved Mikasa as his sister but she was just so protective all the time. If he couldn't even make a decision on eating without Mikasa constantly regulating him, where would he learn to find his independence?

Armin, still shocked by the 'creative' language the Russian had used against his friend, barely managed a slight nod. What would he do if Mikasa wasn't there to protect him? Maybe he was right. This was the time to grow up and realise there won't be protection from anyone. Even though Kai's advice was given from Eren's stifled freedom, Armin had grasped that he too should not have to completely rely on his friends.

The three had visibly calmed down, but Mikasa refused to listen to the Russian's crude advice. She was still eyeing his back as he walked out of the room.

"I'll deal with that asshole later…"


	3. Chapter 3: Confrontations

**Confrontations**

"You shouldn't have pissed her off you know…" a voice growled from behind him.

Kai stopped in his tracks, unblinking. A new voice had just called him out in the middle of the corridors. He turned to face a tall, sandy haired adolescent with a clearly disgruntled expression on his face.

"Yeah, like I'm going to get fucked over by a dominatrix like that Eren kid… " Kai scoffed, "does it look like I care?"

Jean never really was the knight in shining armour type, but he absolutely didn't enjoy hearing the Russian's brutal comments towards his crush. "You should! You can't go around saying things like that! Especially not to Mikasa! You've got no right to say that about her! I know it's your first day and all but you've made a big mistake upsetting her."

"I've got every right to say whatever the hell I want. And besides, she needed to hear those words. She can't go around restraining her half-brother or whatever the hell he is to her like that. How else is the kid going to make decisions for himself?"

"Look, Kai. Or whatever the hell your name is. I don't want to see you talking that way to Mikasa ever again, or there WILL be consequences. Do you understand?"

Kai simply sneered. He stalked closer to Jean until their gazes locked. His grey eyes tinged crimson. His fists tightened and a warmth started spreading into his body at the sense of confrontation. Kai despised being talked down to by an inferior soldier.

"So…looks like Mikasa got herself a lil' puppy to fight her battles. I'd like to see you back those words up you pathetic bitch."

_No one talks shit to me and gets away with it. _Jean fumed. "I refuse to stoop to your level Kai, but if I have to teach you a lesson by kicking your ass then I gladly accept!" Jean growled. _Who the hell does he think he is? _"Tomorrow during training, you're gonna get what's coming to you, asshole!"

For a moment, everything went quiet. Their exchange of words had calmed to just a hard glare between the two soldiers. Silence. Well, until Jean stormed off, muttering something along the lines of getting Mikasa's respect…

Kai was left alone and stood there, fixed in that position for a while, until he decided to go back to his room. _Not even a whole day and you've already made an enemy. Nice going, Hiwatari._

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes as he landed on his bed. He was no stranger to situations involving conflict and lethal use of force… in fact, he looked forward to them. Smirking, he now had an outlet for his adrenaline and energy, and at least now he had a chance to practice his skills for his next encounter.

He traced his calloused fingers over his scars where he sat, and felt a shudder of warning to watch his touch. His skin had broken and healed many times in the same regions, and he couldn't differentiate his older scars from his new ones. A finger traced a curved gash across his left forearm as he pulled his sleeve up. Scowling, he remembered he had to do his second medical check-up with Squad Leader Hange. He winced as he remembered the stinging disinfectant she used, and clearly wondering if she even had medical training when she offered (whether jokingly or not, Kai couldn't tell…) to kiss his open wounds better. Her collection of 4 inch needles and that demented grin of hers handling that equipment sent a shiver down his spine.

* * *

"AH, KAI! THE MAN OF THE HOUR! PLEASE, TAKE A SEAT!" Hange bubbled with glee. Finally, some new company! "What can I do ya for?"

Kai gingerly took a seat next to some half-opened medical supplies. Her messy little cabin didn't look anything remotely like a nurse's office, but it was better than nothing. "You scheduled a check-up a couple days ago to keep an eye on my physical condition…"

"AH YES! OF COURSE!" Hange scuttled in multiple directions, seizing a pair of safety scissors with some disinfectant and needles if needed. "I need you to take off your shirt," She grinned.

"Excuse me?"

"Doctor's orders!" her eyes sparkling with blinding enthusiasm.

He groaned. Exasperated, he took off his jacket, and painfully slowly unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide down his back, with his arms still held in the sleeves. A thrilled Hange carefully ran her hand over his bandaged chest, and set to work on cutting those off.

"Woah…I've never seen someone heal their mortal wounds this quickly…" She spoke as she eyed an almost completely healed gash that she stitched before. His arms had also recovered a great deal, but she could still make out multiple marks and cuts. "I know I've fixed a few of your newer ones, but where did you get these older marks from?"

Kai remained silent for a moment, thinking back to the blistering snowstorms and howling winds. "My training in the Russian Wilderness."

"Ah, I remember Levi mentioning your homeland. Turn around, I need to see the damage on your back."

Kai complied, taking his hands completely out of his shirt and faced the wall away from Hange. Removing the bandages, Hange's eyes widened at what she saw tapered across his upper back.

"This…I didn't see it before, your back was so red and raw from dried blood that I didn't see it before…" Hange was left astonished. She ran her eyes across a red tattoo of a large, majestic bird, with gold and white highlights around its wing and head. Its wings were splayed out in flight and covered his back and reached to the tops of his shoulders in symmetry. "I've never seen such a beautiful bird before in my life!" she beamed. "What's it called!? Where does it live!? How big is it? Is it actually red? How does it-"

"It's called a Phoenix. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's from mythology. It doesn't exist." He replied flatly.

"Darn it! And I was really hoping I could have one as a pet…" she sulked. "Why do you have a tattoo of one anyway?"

"It was part of my family's blessing," he sighed. "I was born under the Japanese constellation of Suzaku, the Vermillion Bird, and my grandfather marked me as one of its blessed ones. Here in English it translates to Dranzer, and it's one of the four sacred guardians of humanity. Of course, many believe that it's simply mythology and nothing more, but…"

"Please, do go on!" her curiosity taking her over.

"It's weird. There are times when I can feel a strong bond between me and Dranzer, like a spiritual connection." He shut his eyes and curled his fists. "But it's difficult to explain. I can feel its fire. It's warm and mellow, and it burns but it heals at the same time."

"Hmmm, a healing fire…interesting…" she frowned. "I'll do more research on Phoenix mythology and let you know. I've never come across anything like this before!" She discarded the bloodied wraps and gave him the all clear.

"Do I really need to come for a third appointment with you, Squad Leader?" he muttered.

"Of course! From the information you've told me, I can already tell you're no ordinary soldier, Kai. Whatever you've got hiding inside of you, Hange Zoë will pry it out like a rusty chainsaw lodged in a pig carcass!"

"What…?" he stared, dumbfounded.

"What?" she blinked innocently.

"You're a nutcase, you know that?"


End file.
